MacArthur Shoots Himself in the Doctrinal Foot

Tee hee hee.

I love John MacArthur. Few expositors today exhibit a comparable commitment to Biblical fidelity, few are his equal in mastery of the Text. He is an adept of doctrine. I have used his commentaries, am currently reading his book Pastoral Ministry, and love reading his blog.

But he has two problems that make me giggle at him some times.

1. He's a stark-raving pinko-Commie Calvinist


2. He's a stark-raving pinko-Commie cessationist

On the subject of his deeply ingrained cessationism, he's written several books, delivered a number of talks, and written a plethora of articles all describing how the Holy Spirit took an extended Sabbatical way back at near the close of the first century A.D.

So it's highly amusing to watch him in effect negate his own argument on this point.

On his blog, he is posting a series of exceptionally good articles on the Fundamentals, titled "What Doctrines Are Fundamental?". Very good series, since a lot of "fundamentalism" ...well, isn't Fundamentalist. Much of modern "fundamentalism" has accreted an impressive mass of secondary doctrines and declared them to be Fundamental, as well (i.e., rock music is of the devil, long-haired guys are of the devil, short-haired chicks are of the devil, the NIV is of the devil, Billy Graham is of the devil, most if not all of the rest of Christianity today is of the devil, etc.), so it's good to take a step back and re-examine what the Fundamentals really are.

Technically, I am a fundie.

In the sense that I am a Biblically conservative inerrantist who unequivocally stands on the actual Fundamentals of the Biblical Christian faith.

Anyway, back to MacArthur.

In his latest blogpost, he makes the fatal (to cessationism) point that, "Every Doctrine We Are Forbidden to Deny Is Fundamental".

I agree with this statement a billion percent.

Now, combine that with the following verse:

Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. [I Corinthians 14:39]

...oooops...